Sea Gals no more: Group rebranded as Seahawks Dancers (men included) for 2019

The SeaGals perform during the Seahawks final preseason game against the Oakland Raiders, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018 at CenturyLink Field. (Genna Martin, seattlepi.com)

The SeaGals perform during the Seahawks final preseason game against the Oakland Raiders, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018 at CenturyLink Field. (Genna Martin, seattlepi.com)

Photo: Genna Martin, SeattlePI

Photo: Genna Martin, SeattlePI

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The SeaGals perform during the Seahawks final preseason game against the Oakland Raiders, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018 at CenturyLink Field. (Genna Martin, seattlepi.com)

The SeaGals perform during the Seahawks final preseason game against the Oakland Raiders, Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018 at CenturyLink Field. (Genna Martin, seattlepi.com)

Photo: Genna Martin, SeattlePI

Sea Gals no more: Group rebranded as Seahawks Dancers (men included) for 2019

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The Sea Gals, the Seahawks' dance team, are changing as we know them for 2019.

They won't be called The Sea Gals, for one. They'll go by The Seahawks Dancers. And there will be men sprinkled on the team for the first time ever, not just women.

It's all part of a rebranding effort, as the Seahawks "continually look to evolve (their) gameday entertainment," according to the team's official website.

"For decades the Sea Gals have been an integral part of the Seahawks organization on and off the field," Seahawks Dancers director Courtney Moore wrote on the team's website. "As we continually look to evolve our gameday entertainment, our dance program will now be known as 'The Seahawks Dancers." We look forward to showcasing many different types of dance styles as the team hits the field this fall.'

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The Sea Gals had been a fixture on the sidelines of Seahawks' games since the team's inaugural season in 1976, cheering and dancing during breaks in action. There's been no indication that that will change as the Seahawks Dancers.

On the team's website, the reimagined dance group (pictured here) for 2019 includes 30 people: 22 women and eight men.

In recent years, there have been cries across the NFL for change and improvements to working conditions for dance squads, amid lawsuits by former cheerleaders alleging discrimination and hostile work environments. The Houston Texans, Miami Dolphins, New Orleans Saints, and the Washington D.C. NFL team are among the several teams that have been accused of mistreating cheerleaders.

In an email to The Seattle Times, Seahawks director of business communications Kaitlin Goodall said there was no specific reason for the change to the dance team.

"(There is) no specific reason other than just an evolution of the program, similar to other entertainment updates we've made over the years such as the addition of our Blue Thunder drum line," Goodall told the Times. "The Sea Gals have been an integral part of the Seahawks organization for decades, and the Seahawks Dancers will continue to carry on the legacy of great gameday entertainment as well as work in the community."